Thus spake Zarathustra, his eyes sparkling. But the old wizard was silent for a while. Then he said : " Did I tempt thee ? I seek only.

O Zarathustra, I seek one who is genuine, one right, one simple, who hath only one meaning, a man of entire honesty, a vessel of wisdom, a saint of per- ception, a great man !

Knowest thou not, O Zarathustra ? I seek Zara- thustra"

Then a long silence arose between the two. But Zarathustra sank deep into himself so that he shut his eyes. Thereafter, returning unto him with whom he had spoken, he seized the hand of the wizard and spake full of politeness and artfulness :